Molded egg carton



April 19, 1960 R. VAHLE 2,933,227

' MOLDED EGG CARTON Filed Sept. 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q Q 't ...IIHHHHHIIIIM fogli. k

zz i 22 INVENTOR /PAYMo/vo VAHLE BY April 19, 1960 R. VAHLE MOLDED EGG CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1956 INVENTOLR RAYMOND VAHLE BY MW ATTlR EYS April 19, 1960 R. vAHLE 2,933,227

MOLDED EGG CARTON Filzed Sept. 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @L /s' i6 i2 JJM- l In r 2f INVENTOR RAYMo/vn VAHLE United States Patent O 2,933,227 MOLDED EGG CARTON Raymond Vahle, Tappan, N.Y., assgnor to Continental Can Company, Inc., a corporation of New York The invention relates to a molded egg carton, made of paper pulp, plastics and the like.

Summary The features of my invention include an improved toggle action of snap lock cover, an improved cover supporting structure for strengthening the carton and better protectingthe eggs, and an improved center construction ofthe type which permits tearing the carton apart into two half dozen packages. As3to the latter feature, while severable egg cartons are not new in themselves, my` construction has the particular advantagetthat after separation each of the 'twof packages has complete end walls adjacent the line of severance, including cornplete anges at both ends of each cover part for full protection of the eggs in each package. Y

In its general arrangementmy improved carton comprises a body having two rows of cells and upwardly extending side walls. A ridge between the two rows of cells includes surfaces which extend lengthwise of the carton and are located below the tops of the side walls. The `cover has two parts hingedV to the tops of the respctiveside walls. The cover parts have top wallswith anges which come together Aat the center of the carton andrest 'upon the aforesaid ridge surfaces when the cover parts are closed." Also'the cover partshave end walls which extend between the anges and top walls and support the cover flanges at substantially right angles to the top walls. As so constructed the cover parts have a toggle action which tends, once they have been shut, to hold them so.

In my preferred construction the ridge surfaces between the two rows of cells comprise inclined planes intersecting to form a V-shaped guide. This positions the lower edges of the iianges of the closed cover parts and in combination with the other structure I have described makes the carton particularly strong. Also the end walls of the body of the carton slope upwardly and outwardly, whereas the end walls of the cover parts slope downwardly and outwardly bringing them into abutting relation along a V-shaped line; and in case of the severable carton the end walls which are adjacent at the center of the carton terminate in anges by which the sections are severably annexed. As these flanges extend in the formof a V, the initial attachment of the sections is quite rigid and strong.

Description In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the best mode contemplated by me for carrying out my invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view looking into the inside of the carton as it appears when the covers are opened to the position they assume during the molding of the carton.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken at the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the carton, covers closed, partly ICC broken away in section at the center line of the nearest row of cells.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 5-5 of Fig. l but with the covers partly closed.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the closing action of the covers,

Fig. 6 showing the position ofthe covers :at the moment they pass dead center with respect to the toggle action, and

Fig. 7 showing the cover parts fully closed.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the center portion of a moditied construction in which the carton is designed to be torn apart into two separate packages.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. `1() is a transverse sectional view taken at line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at line 111-11 of Fig..9. l

Referring to Figs. 1-3, my carton comprises a body 12 having two rows of cells 13, 14 and upwardly extending side walls 15. A ridge 16 between the two rows of cells includes surfaces 17 extending lengthwise of the cartonand located below the tops of the side walls. The cover of the carton has two parts 18 hinged to the tops 19 of the respective side walls. The cover parts have top walls 20 with ilanges 21 which come together at j As may be seen in Figs. 6 and 7, the ridge Asurfaces 17 comprise inclined planes intersecting to form a V- shaped Iguide which positions the lower edges of the flanges 21 ofthe closed cover parts. The carton body 12 has V-shaped end .walls 23, and' the end walls 22 of the cover parts 'are complementary to them. Thus, the end wallsof the carton body and cover parts meet at a V -linewhichextends from the top of each side wall to an intersection in line with the points where the cover llanges 21 rest upon the ridge surfaces. When the cover parts are closed the edges of their end walls 22 close into abutting relation to the edges of the end Walls 23 of the body.

End walls 23 of the body slope upwardly and outwardly, whereas the end walls 22 of the cover parts slope downwardly and outwardly to the line of abutment 24, and, in the embodiment shown in Figs. Sl l, the abutting edges of the body and cover parts at one end thereof have anges 25, 26 severably attached to similar anges of adjoining similar body and cover parts forming an extension 12', 18 of the carton 12, 18. Spaced cut lines 27 in the anges 25, 26 form tear lines for separating the carton into separate packages. Reference to Fig. 10 reveals the construction at the ends of the separated packages. Here it will be observed that adjacent the line of separation, each separate package has complete body and end walls 23 and complete cover end walls 22 rfor full protection of the eggs.

Referring to Figs. 5-7, I shall now describe the toggle action of my snap lock cover. As the cover parts are swung in the direction of the arrows a for closing, the edges of their flanges 21 irst come together as shown in Fig. 5. Then, as they are brought into the position shown in Fig. 6, portions of the body and/or cover of the carton are constrained to yield resiliently, as necessitated by the fact that edges 28 of cover end walls 22 have a combined length which is greater than the normal distance between the tops 19 of the side walls 15 of the body. Consequently the side walls 15 may yield slightly, as may also the cover anges 21, such yielding action Patented Apr. 19, 1960 being-restrained'by the respective v'end wa1ls^23 vand 12',

so that after the cover partstpass beyond the dead center position shown in Eig. 6. theywill snap ,sharplyV on the side Walls tends to lock the cover more securely,l

whereas in somerexisting'types of carton such vpressure may" spring the cover open, with risk that the eggs will be spilled and broken.

The particular shape and configuration of the. b'o'dy and end walls as employed at the center of the severable form of carton and which may be seen bestin Figs: 4, 9, 10 and 11, has a number ofadvantages. Firs't, when 'a cover having 'two part's 'hinged Vt`o"th`e 'tpsfofwth' 'rel spective side walls, the cover Eparts having top Walls with Y downwardly extending flanges which come together at the center of the carton and rest upon said ridge surfaces when the cover parts are closed, and triangular shaped end Walls extending between theilanges and top walls of each of said cover parts ateachfend thereof Vand supporting the cover a'n'gesfat substantially: right: angles to the respective top wall, said end. walls of the coverparts adjoining the flanges at ,points which,I 'with respectto the closed position ofthe cover -parts, lie below a plane 'containingl the hinge'lines off` thef'eovernparts;thetriangular *shaped end walls ofthe, .cover 4partsconibning to.form a V-shaped lower edge, when the cover parts are inthe closed position, which in said closed position rests on the V-shaped top surface of said body end walls, by virtue of all of which the .cover parts have av, toggle action Wwhich tends, once they havebee'n snapped shut, tohold the-carton is-rnolded with the covers open, as'v shownin Figs. 1-2, it will be observed that all ofthese end walls slope Yinthe same direction, yproviding requisite draft for removal of the. carton from the mold. Second,- 'and as already stated, the sections designed for separating one from another, each hasV complete end walls adjacent the line of severance. Third, the provision 'of such complete endV walls results in providing a toggle closing action in each of the separated packages. AThus .each separated carton is afully enclosed carton with its own snap cover.'

The terms and expressions which I have employedy are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention of'excluding such equivalents ,of the invenv tion' described, or of portions thereof, as fallwithin Ythe scope of the claims.

I claim: Y l. A molded egg carton comprising a body havin'gupwardly extending side Walls andend Walls-containing two rows ofV cells therebetween, the topvsurface of said body end walls being V-shaped, a ridgebetween the .two

rows of cells including surfaces extending lengthwise f of them so.

2. A molded egg carton as dened by claim 1, in which said ridgersurfaces comprise inclined planes intersecting to form a V-'shapedl guide-extending lengthwise "off-4 the 'cartoni positioning the' lower edges ofithe anges of" the closed cover parts. 3.v A' molded egg v end thereof have flangesseverably*attached* to the sir'ni 'lar flanges of adjoining -similar `body and' cover parts forming an extension of the carton-byvirtuelof which `3O the carton can berseparated into separate sections,v each of which has complete end walls 'at both ends for `full l. Aprotection ofthe contents, and each of which has its `own the carton and located below the tops of said side walls, 1

snap lock cover.

` References vCited in the iklegof this patent `UNITED STATES PATENTS 1; 2,081,740 y.1""31'111121131 .May 25, 1937 2,387,184 Richards ,O ct. 16,V 1945 2,455,295 COXV NOV. v30,119.48. 2,575,192A Shepard Nov. v13, 1951'v 2,591,471 Schwertfeger Apr. ,1, .1952

Y A2,677,490 Crane .May 4, .1954` carton as defined by claim 1, inwhich" the abutting edges of the b'odyand-cover `parts ationeY 

